More on Apple/Motorola Joint Cell Phone Venture 293
1+(smarterThanYou) writes "Forbes.com has an article with updates on the previous Slashdot story on the Motorola/Apple iTunes compatible mobile phone.
'Apple Computer and Motorola could soon show us the mobile phone they are developing to play music purchased from Apple's iTunes online music store.
'We've said we have something coming on this in the first half of 2005 and we're definitely on schedule for that. Hopefully you'll be able to see more about it soon,' says Eddy Cue, vice president in charge of applications at Apple.'" Theories about this device showing up at the next MacWorld Expo abound.
Flash-based iPod actually a phone? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Flash-based iPod actually a phone? (Score:5, Informative)
But maybe he's had a change of heart. Afterall, if Apple came out with a phone, people would be drooling over it... stylish and easy to use, plus iTunes support. Who knows.
Re:Flash-based iPod actually a phone? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Flash-based iPod actually a phone? (Score:4, Interesting)
Remember when tabbed browsing in Safari would never happen because it violated Apple GUI guidelines?
I hope he has had a change of heart because an apple phone would kick ass. Assuming it was a PDA too, not just a cell phone with a button that allows you to empty your wallet at the iTMS.
Re:Flash-based iPod actually a phone? (Score:2)
Either Apple makes money by getting a portion of each phone sold, or they are hoping that people's phones will fill up really quick with music, and then these people will break down and purchase iPods as well, or a combination of both.
Well, check this out: (Score:5, Interesting)
I can throw a little more gas onto the Apple phone rumors. I was on a train this weekend, watching an episode of the Simpsons on my Treo600. The gentleman sitting across from me asked me how I liked the phone. I told him I loved it and we began a tech conversation. He mentioned that he worked for Motorola. I told him I was a Macintosh consultant, and then he dropped the bomb! "I've got a scoop for you", he teased.
Apparently some of his associates had been telling him earlier in the week about an Apple branded phone that had been circulating around the office at Motorola. The phone had Motorola components, but most certainly had Apple brandings on it. He said that he did not have a chance to handle the phone, but that his direct supervisor did. The phone was "sleek and sexy" in her words. He mentioned that there was talk amongst the people who had seen it that itunes and iphoto would factor into this device somehow. They also said that the phone had a slot on the top (media slot?) as well as what looked to be a usb 2.0 port on the bottom.
All very interesting. He gave me his card, so I'll be sure to press him for more details in the coming weeks.
Stay Tuned!
_________________
Tony Ricciardi
Administrator
TreoMac.com
Also, from another source:
It's basically the successor to the Motorola E398 [phonescoop.com], but with iTunes, and extensive Apple influence and iPod integration. I haven't seen it yet, but my info is direct from Moto top people.
The current Motorola E398 was a tri-band GSM bar form factor phone, with a large screen, TransFlash slot, Bluetooth, camera, media player, speakerphone, and FM tuner. And since this offering is GSM, and Steve Jobs has twice trotted out Cingular CEO Stephen Carter at Macworld keynotes, and given other carriers' resistance to the idea of iTunes on a phone (for reasons of either not wanting to provide bandwidth for such a service at a reasonable cost, OR being opposed to having full computer/device connectivity via Bluetooth bypassing their networks), it would appear that Cingular/AT&T might be a good candidate to carry such a device.
And for all those who think that Motorola phones suck OR are only basing your opinion on NEXTEL phones, trust me: they've gotten a LOT better, and actually have some excellent offerings (e.g., RAZR V3 [phonescoop.com] and v710 [phonescoop.com], Verizon crippling aside).
Re:Flash-based iPod actually a phone? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Flash-based iPod actually a phone? (Score:2)
Re:Flash-based iPod actually a phone? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Flash-based iPod actually a phone? (Score:2)
It's not like the HD in the Zaurus really does anything you couldn't do before. I mean, there are plenty of PDAs you can buy today where you can get bluetooth, wifi and a hard drive- bigger than 4 GB even. You can't do this on the Zaurus, not even the SL-C3000- not unless you want to get weird and add one of those big, ugly serial bluetooth dongles. *shudder*
I had a 10 GB hard drive in my Jornada 720 2 years ago. Before that
iPhone, uPhone we all phone for iphone... (Score:5, Funny)
I also want a Moof ring tone!
I'm still waiting... (Score:2)
Re:iPhone, uPhone we all phone for iphone... (Score:2, Offtopic)
For those who don't know, in U2's "Vertigo," Bono chants at the beginning of the song "uno dos tres quatorce (sp?)" which is "1 2 3 14 in spanish... strange.
Re:iPhone, uPhone we all phone for iphone... (Score:2, Offtopic)
Actually, you can buy official U2 t-shirts with "1, 2, 3, 14" on them, so it's very much intentional. It's the number of albums they've done and although Vertigo is not the title track of the album, it was the first single to be released from it.
Re:iPhone, uPhone we all phone for iphone... (Score:2, Interesting)
On UK radio recently, Bono was asked this question - his response was a non-committal "Oh, OK, we may have had a few beers the night we wrote that one.".
Re:iPhone, uPhone we all phone for iphone... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:iPhone, uPhone we all phone for iphone... (Score:2)
Re:iPhone, uPhone we all phone for iphone... (Score:3, Funny)
Man, it's like those Spanish have different word for everything....
Not to shabby (Score:5, Insightful)
Already in bed? (Score:3, Informative)
Go Apple.
iPhone (Score:2)
Re:Already in bed? (Score:2)
Then again, Apple s good at playing vendors off each other.
Vice President? (Score:2, Insightful)
As two rumors converge (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:As two rumors converge (Score:3, Insightful)
What brand name? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:What brand name? (Score:2)
Re:What brand name? (Score:2)
Mobile Device Teams (Score:5, Interesting)
Personally, I'd love to see the Nintendo technologies meshed with Apple and Motorola. To me both Apple and Nintendo, lean towards highly usable, simple technology with high build quality.
Who else is next?
-----
Glen Williams [geocities.com]
And the kitchen sink (Score:4, Insightful)
> groups teaming up to cover their core areas. Obviously Sony are placed fairly
> well at the moment with their audio, imaging, comms and gaming devices.
Personally, I think that most additions that are bolted on a cell phone result in a substandard product.
Consider a phone + camera combo.
On one hand, I want my phone to be small and light.
On the other hand, I want my digicam to take quality pictures, which requires a decently sized photosites and good optics (with lots of lens elements).
These requirements are at odds with each other.
On the other hand, adding audio functions to a cell phone should be doable without exessively compromising quality.
Is there a reasonably priced cell phone + AM/FM radio + MP3 player combo in existance?
An Apple Rep made a comment about future products? (Score:2)
One feature I hope for. (Score:5, Insightful)
Every phone that I could use in my area is hobbled by SOB carriers who view BT as headset only, and charge for transfer of photos, ringtones and everything else.
Not that I want the latest MP3 of Poo Doody as my ringtone, or want to take blurry, oversaturated photos with my phone...It's the principle of the thing...
May Apple destroy the phone market as they have beaten the mp3 market.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Re:One feature I hope for. (Score:5, Insightful)
Some other people have pointed out that when people have gotten 'cool' phones in the past with popular features - say, bluetooth synchronization with computers - cell networks lock them out.
I think Steve Jobs realizes how much money could be made in a phone that syncs with bluetooth the way its made to be done, as is evidenced by iSync, etc.
And I think that Apple may be the only company in the position to get people to do what cell phone companies can only dream of - PAY for a consumer phone. Even if the phone is $500, there's a chance - a decent one - that Apple, if it is Apple-branded, could make it sell, just the way that Apple sold the original iPods so well, despite their price and that they were Mac-only for so long.
Tim
Re:One feature I hope for. (Score:3, Informative)
Apple includes a very good Bluetooth utility for browsing and transferring files on the phone. And iSync automatically syncs my address book with the contac
Re:One feature I hope for. (Score:3, Informative)
If you don't have that turned on, you can in the bluetooth preference panel. It's not the finder by any means, but still is quite useful.
Re:One feature I hope for. (Score:3, Informative)
Re:One feature I hope for. (Score:2)
Definitely Verizon are bastards for crippling their Bluetooth phones, but it seems Cingular has not followed that path (yet?)
Re:One feature I hope for. (Score:3, Informative)
You've got to be kidding! I have a T616 and Cingular and I use Bluetooth for transferring pictures from my phone to my Mac, MIDI files from my Mac to my phone, and synchronizing Address Book and iCal information between the two all of the time.
And I did all of that long before I got a Bluetooth headset.
How could the carrier even begin to charge fo
Re:Change your phone Carrier (Score:3, Insightful)
I simply would not accept that limitation from a carrier. It's an abuse of their service. Do the sensible thing and change you carrier to someone who doesn't cripple your phone and your computing experience.
That's the thing, though. You can't. In America, the providers have banded together on this one and locked-out such functionality. And with a free market fundamentalist for a president, for Americans this is unlikely to change via regulatory pressures from the communications commission.
Interesting. (Score:5, Interesting)
http://www.iphone.com/ [iphone.com]
Re:Interesting. (Score:2)
Re:Interesting. (Score:2)
Holy crap: I don't work in marketing (a contradicition?) and I could come up with..... wait for it....
iListen or iTalk
Re:Interesting. (Score:2)
Let's see... (Score:5, Funny)
2) ???
3) Profit! Because the iPod has made Apple money hand over fist, so a fone that has the same general function (could this be the flash iPod everyone is talking about?) will likely be a giant seller.
Problem is that cell fones are typically loss leaders for SOMEBODY, and we all know the iTMS is barely profitable, so I just don't see where the money would be coming from here.
p
Re:Let's see... (Score:2)
Re:Let's see... (Score:2)
From the same place that Apple gets their money from the iTMS: sales of the iPod. But in this senario, it's not sales of the iPod it's sales of this iPod phone. Whether Apple or Mot is actually doing the hardware-making, Apple will make money on it one way or another- whether they sell it and get that profit, or Mot sells it as h
Re:Let's see... (Score:2)
Re:Let's see... (Score:2)
The last line should read:
3) Profit! Because the iPod has made Apple money hand over fist, so a fone that has the same general function (could this be the flash iPod everyone is talking about?) will likely be a giant seller, in Japan.
tip of the iceberg (Score:5, Insightful)
- iTunes ringback (what the caller hears is an iTune bought by the callee)
- Distinctive iTune ringtone (I can program the ringtone I hear with an iTune I bought, according to the caller)
- iTunes will not only sync with iPod but also with iPhone
- iPhone to iPhone gifts (I bought an iTune and I give it to you)
- iPhone to iPhone recommendations (I recommend an iTune to you)
- Express your feeling with iTune (when you call her, she hears a music you selected)
- ...
it's just the beginning man! Wait 'till Apple sells movies, documentaries and radio shows...Re:tip of the iceberg (Score:2)
I dont know how this would be possible.Any ringback/call waiting tune is set by the GSM service provider and not by the phone.Technically how can i hear something from the otherside before the otherside picks the call up i.e before i am connected to the otherside ?
Re:tip of the iceberg (Score:5, Insightful)
What's hard to understand about this? Are you aware that this is already being done? If not, consider yourself informed: ringbacks already exist, though they're not big in the US. If you are aware of this, what gives you the idea that having an iTunes purchased song as your ring back would be any different than any other MIDI, mp3 or sound effect that you'd have as a ringback?
One day, remind me to tell you the story of computers. They transfer data. Sometimes, they just transfer data between the RAM to the CPU over the bus, but now a days, they are often transfering data also between different computers- say a cell provider's servers and a cell phone. A user can buy a song in iTMS-mobile, have the $1 charged to their phone bill, listen to it and go into a little menu where they say "make this my ringback." How it gets to become the ringback could happen in a number of ways. The most likely senario is that the 20 second sound sample- say, the chorus of the song- is accessed by the cell provider's server, no doubt via connecting to some iTMS server. It could grab that 20 seconds of song and set it as the ringback, however those whacky GSM service providers go around doing that.
The user could probably even have a GUI form on the phone that gives them the illusion that they're "recording" the section they want for their ring back, or perhaps just setting the whole thing. But in the end, it just communicates with the cell provider- who already obviously an agreement with Apple/Mot if they're providing this service already- the hash # for the song in question and the markers for where to begin the sample and where to end it. Simple as that.
I'll leave the other very possible- but not too likely- method as an exercise for the reader. A hint: it has again with computers communicating. Uploading, even.
Lousy timing! (Score:5, Funny)
No Wireless... (Score:4, Funny)
Lame.
Re:No Wireless... (Score:2)
Lame.
(or: different strokes for different folks.)
Will it actually make phone calls? (Score:5, Funny)
I'm not in the boonies. I'm a mere 20 miles East of San Francisco in an area where the median home prices is over $700,000. People have money.
But I can't make a phone call from my apartment. Verizon comes close, but Cingular, AT&T Wireless, Sprint, Nextel - none of them work.
My old ass MetroPCS phone is the only phone that I get more than 3 "bars" with. And it doesn't have a camera, either.
What ever happened to making call quality the #1 priority? I don't want a camera phone! I don't want an mp3 player! I just want to make friggin PHONE CALLS!
*head as-plodes*
Re:Will it actually make phone calls? (Score:2)
That way you can get a portable phone that will work at home
It's not the phone's fault (Score:4, Interesting)
This happens in my area, too, and it's caused by the NIMBY attitude of people when they see a cell phone tower. Even if the cellular provider proposes a camouflaged tower (one that looks like a tree, etc.), they are beaten back by the pseudoscience wackos threatening health problems. They've even taken out existing towers ("Too close to the schools--think of the children!"), which I suspect is why you remember your MetroPCS phone fondly. As a result, my nearest cell tower is a zillion miles away and, like you, I have no coverage indoors.
iTunes on phone does not mean iPod-Phone! RTFA (Score:5, Informative)
maybe the rumors are way off and this is what the flash iPod is. the Moto V710 phone has a removable memory card you can put MP3 files on and play them as ringtones, or listen to them on the speakerphone. i guess headphones or a carkit would be possible too? who knows. you have to read the article knowing some are quotes from Apple and Moto and some is filler/speculation by Forbes. not to diss them, but it's possible they don't totally know and are off the mark with their speculation.
and i quote:
rob me (Score:4, Funny)
How About iSync? (Score:5, Interesting)
dreaming but integration of mini with phone... (Score:2)
With an iPod mini integrated into a phone, you could get phone call making, mp3 playing, and basic PDA functionality all in one. Basically all I need from a mobile device. And you could
Re:dreaming but integration of mini with phone... (Score:3, Insightful)
The killer product _should_ be... (Score:2, Interesting)
Apple's iPod hardware buddy HP seems to sell might-look-good-in-white, curiously out-of-stock bluetooth stereo headphones [hp.com], but without a mic. Hmmm...
Classic Apple phone to come (Score:2, Redundant)
But just one button
Wow! Just imagine the on-hold music possibities! (Score:3, Funny)
Lot of components already there with Symbian ... (Score:3, Interesting)
I have to admit I'm a bit curious about all the effort and publicity surrounding this, but I guess with Apple and Motorola being former bedroom buddies and with iTunes and Apple as hot as they are right now, anything involving either would make news.
Most of Apple's functions (Bluetooth, MP3, AAC, 3GPP, contact synchroniztion) already work with Nokia's Symbian platform right now, except for iTunes' DRM - which, admittedly, is the show-stopper. But why would you not also try to partner with, or license your stuff to, another company who has done much of the grunt work already ?
Samsung Uproar (Score:4, Interesting)
IIRC the Samsung Uproar [samsungtelecom.com] was the first phone to come out with mp3 playback capability. For the technology available at the time (2001) it was a great device - 64MB flash player with a decent phone.
One of the best features of that phone was completely unintentional - since it had stereo headphones for both phone and mp3 player usage you could have two people talk on the phone at the same time without having to use a speakerphone by giving each person one of the earpieces.
Can I trust Forbes credibility? (Score:3, Interesting)
Ringtones Market 20 Times Larger Than Downloads (Score:4, Interesting)
If I was Apple I'd be selling ringtones on the ITMS.
Re:I see... (Score:2, Interesting)
anyway, Eddy Cue is about to be fired, leaking a comment a couple weeks before macworld, and a couple of days before christmas????? not that any of his comments are going to slow down the sale of any apple produced products, it is still a slip and he must be cut loose, there can't be any leaks in the apple ship
Re:Apple is killing the iPod Image (Score:5, Insightful)
This may be a whacky idea, but have you considered waiting until you actually see a product before you condemn it?
Re:Apple is killing the iPod Image (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Apple is killing the iPod Image (Score:5, Insightful)
for now, iPod is doing well; but sooner or later some competitors will catch up.
this things happens in the philippines and i dunno how it affects other parts of the world. 7 years ago, star-tac is the king; it was overrun by nokia when nokia 3210 comes out of the market -- and then stays the lead until now and very very few people are buying motorola phones. 4 years ago, ericsson is not doing well in mobile phone market
This joint venture by Apple and Motorola is a win-win for both of them. Design/Interface/Usability teams will add value to a technology competitive products from Motorola -- like what Sony did to Ericsson.
Re:Apple is killing the iPod Image (Score:3, Insightful)
Maybe, but this is harder to do than with the phones.
The iPod is so dominant not only because of the iPod but also iTunes and iTMS. Not many companies out there have the talent to pull off hardware/software/service solutions so elegantly. Even MS, who should be able to easily take care of the last two is having trouble - the vast majority of online music sales are AAC, not WMA.
I think that Apple's interest in a phone is not
Re:Apple is killing the iPod Image (Score:2)
Sure, everyone's used a cellphone already... but we haven't see what Apple can pull out of their hat for the phone world yet.
Re:Apple is killing the iPod Image (Score:2)
Re:Apple is killing the iPod Image (Score:2)
Not that Apple doesn't make some nice stuff, but do you really want to see a Apple-designed cell phone? Phones would become almost status-symbols.
Phones already are status symbols. They've been for a long time, since the first consumer cell phones were sold. And iPods are status symbols too. I fail to "imagine" the upheval. You talk about the iPod's image. It is the iPod's image that makes it the status symbol that it is. Unless they screwed
Re:Apple is killing the iPod Image (Score:3, Interesting)
For all the huge number of cell-phone makers and phones, about 70% of them are completely awful in design, and most of the rest merely OK; even manuf.s who are normally good at product design, like Sony, seem to completely lose it when it comes to cell-phones (in Sony's case, they seem to be partnering with Ericson, so perhaps it's the latter's fault).
Re:Apple is killing the iPod Image (Score:3, Insightful)
Well, Sony had fricking awfully designed mobile phones before they teamed up with Ericsson. Sony Ericsson is a really good example of a product merger gone the right way. Ericsson has all that AND a bag of chips when it comes to telecommunications and mobile phones, but theyr design was outdated since they didn't believe that anyone other than business
Re:Apple is killing the iPod Image (Score:2)
Re:Macintosh 1 button mouse...now the 1 button pho (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Macintosh 1 button mouse...now the 1 button pho (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Macintosh 1 button mouse...now the 1 button pho (Score:2, Funny)
You hreak the number you want to dial either by;
That said, I'm sure it will be a hit with the
--#voxlator
One is all you need - seriously (Score:2)
Potentially this new phone could all cross licence the UI and be a real boon for Motorola.
As for diaing numbers not in the address book - voice reognition, I'd wager.
Re:One is all you need - seriously (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Motorola Apple Relations Improving? (Score:3, Insightful)
2) The rug got pulled out from all the other cloners, too, most of whom were doing FAR more business than the Starmax series.
3) T
Re:Motorola Apple Relations Improving? (Score:3, Informative)
Codewarrior positioned itself for cross-platform development instead, which is what interested Motorola, but wasn't compatible with Apple's focus on superior APIs.
Apple didn't kill Codewarrior as much as Codewarrior chased different markets.
Mot
Re:Motorola Apple Relations Improving? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Motorola created CodeWarrior? Whaaaaa? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Motorola Apple Relations Improving? (Score:2)
Re:I'll buy (Score:2)
My name is already Steve. No need to name a cat here.
*shiver* It's like my parents figured it out before I was even born!!!
Re:Apple can do what noone else can... (Score:3, Interesting)
Motorola already had a real phone (and I still do). This beast [cnet.com] has a plain old LCD display (not color), takes no pictures, has survived numerous falls onto concrete, has battery life that won't quit, and a speakerphone that works fairly well. I almost switched carriers when I was told I would have to "upgrade" after they "upgraded" their network. It took 3 or 4 calls before I actually got someo
Re:Apple can do what noone else can... (Score:2)
It's also interesting to note rumours of an updated StarTAC style handset:
http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000713022463/
If this was the phone to include iTunes I'd buy one without question. I loved my original StarTACs and went through several versions of them before the Timeport came out.
Re:Apple can do what noone else can... (Score:2)
Re:Assuming you were serious (Score:2)
Hey grandpa it's the 21st century: they make switches and controls that work by capacitive coupling: no moving parts required. The iPod's had them for a long time and my PB's trackpad doesn't use any moving parts.
Re:+5 Flamebait (Score:2)
Everyone has an agenda here, whether its pro-FreeBSD or pro-Moz.
It seems like the only time people actually bitch about agendas is when it is insanely anti-MS or pro-Apple.
Most of the flamebait articles are infact flamebait. Seriously, I am sick of the anti-Apple bias of some of the users of this site.
Re:I've been doing this for awhile already? (Score:3, Funny)
See?
I win!
Re:motorola quality? (Score:2)
Re:ipod add-on speculation (Score:3, Insightful)
"If you nail together two things that have never been nailed together before, some schmuck will buy it from you."